


Reaching for the Red Light

by Lady_Felucia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), kylux - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren Fluff, Crushes, Dinner, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Fluff, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluffy Ending, Gay, Gay Male Character, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylux - Freeform, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Romantic Fluff, Short, Short & Sweet, Short Story, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - Freeform, The Force Awakens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 02:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13871250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Felucia/pseuds/Lady_Felucia
Summary: Kylo Ren and his temper tantrums have been tolerated by Supreme Leader Snoke for quite a long time. However, after the destruction of Starkiller Base, the First Order finances and budget are guarded more closely than ever, meaning that Snoke can't afford to let Kylo get away with his fits of destruction anymore.After a particularly damaging outburst, Snoke decides that the only way to regulate control would be to take way Kylo Ren's lightsaber, and place it under the care of General Hux, with the admonition that Hux only give it back when Kylo proves himself mature enough to handle it.But Hux has another idea in mind, in regards to Kylo "earning" his beloved saber back. One that Kylo isn't too fond of.





	Reaching for the Red Light

Kylo Ren flew backwards and into the black reflective wall, his entire body shuddering in pain. He tried to pick himself up, and it took him multiple tries to even gain his knees. He was eventually able to stand, and he made his way cautiously, painfully back in front of his Master's throne.

When Snoke had summoned Kylo Ren before him earlier, Kylo knew right away what it was for. Several days ago he had destroyed a good part of Snoke's flagship, the Supremacy, in a fit of rage over an enemy escaping. He hadn't thought at the time that the damage was THAT bad, or that his actions would warrant much attention from Snoke, but on this score, he was dreadfully wrong.

Twice, now, Snoke had Force-slammed his apprentice to the cold steel of the ground, and now Ren was recovering from a bolt of lightning to the chest.

"Kylo Ren. I have tried and tried with you. I've explained to you the importance of keeping your temper. We are on an extremely tight budget, as we try and gather funds for the creation of another weapon. I can't have my protege undermining my monetary strictures by causing repeated wanton damage to expensive equipment!"

"Master, I --"

Another jolt of electricity, although this time Snoke held him in place, so that he could see the agony on Kylo's face up-close. Kylo screamed for what felt like an endless amount of time, before Snoke let him go and he fell to his knees, gasping, tears in his eyes.

"Apparently, physical punishment doesn't serve to deter you for very long," Snoke said quietly, watching as Kylo struggled back to his feet. "Therefore I think I'm going to use another approach with you. I'm going to take away something you love. Give me your lightsaber."

"Master! You can't be serious!"

Kylo adored his saber. He considered the monstrous beauty his most prized possession, next to his grandfather's helmet, that is.

Snoke frowned down on him, and Kylo involuntarily flinched, thinking he was about to be hit with another jolt.

"I am. Until you learn to control your temper, until you can prove to me that you aren't just a child in a mask, I'm taking that away from you. Now hand it over."

Kylo reluctantly unclipped his saber from his belt and placed it into Snoke's gnarled hand, trying to keep the pout off of his face as he did so.

"Now, seeing as I'm not around you all the time to sufficiently monitor your behavior, I'm going to task the job to someone who is."

The doors behind them opened, and a familiar click of boots walked steadily down the tiles towards them. 

"You summoned me, Supreme Leader?"

General Hux.  
Of course.

Kylo always felt incredibly awkward and uncomfortable around Hux. The way Hux felt about him was confusing, and frightening. His dislike for the things Kylo did, his irritation with Kylo's mannerisms and the way he acted, Kylo could handle.

But there was another aspect, that Kylo wasn't quite sure how to process: the General, had _feelings_ for Kylo. Strong ones. Kylo had never reciprocated those feelings, and had done everything he possibly could to discourage them. But no matter what he said, or did, that quiet, unspoken tenderness never fully went away.

He could feel the way Hux was looking at him now, the way his eyes moved over his body, and Kylo hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Yes. General, have you noticed an increase to equipment damage or personnel deaths in the last few weeks?", Snoke inquired of him now.

Hux seemed surprised by the question, and it took him a moment to answer, "It does seem as though I've been filing rather more reports than usual, Supreme Leader."

Snoke nodded, his eyes still on Kylo's face as he addressed Hux. "And if you had to give a primary cause for all of it? What would you designate that cause as being?"

Even facing away from him, Kylo could picture Hux's gaze burn into his back, and feel his hesitation to answer.

"No. Say what's on your mind," Snoke told him, apparently feeling Hux's reluctance to speak, as well. "I want your honest opinion."

"I would say that the primary source of damage comes from Lord Ren," Hux told him, somewhat uneasily.

Snoke nodded, that small smile back on his face. "I would wholeheartedly agree, General." Now he held up Kylo's lightsaber. "And would you say he inflicts the most damage, with _this?_ "

Hux nodded, obviously feeling confused about where the conversation was going. His confusion turned to disbelief when Snoke held out the saber towards him.

"Take this."

"E-excuse me?"

"Take this. I am relieving Ren of his saber until such a time as I can ascertain he is prepared to use it responsibly. General, I want YOU to help me make that determination. Keep it, and when you feel an appropriate period of time has passed in which Lord Ren has behaved accordingly, you may first consult with me, then you may return it to him."

Hux eyed Ren fearfully. Lightsaber or not, he still had those damned Force powers. He didn't need the saber to choke Hux, or throw him through the air, or any number of things that could result in the redhead being seriously injured, or killed.

Snoke must have read Hux's mind, because he said, quietly, "He won't do any of those things to you." He turned to Ren and told him, "If I have even the slightest inkling that you've attempted to harm the General in any way, or you've tried to manipulate or request your saber back before he feels you're ready for it, I promise you there will be a far worse punishment to await you. Am I understood?"

Kylo nodded, his head down, feeling humiliated.

Snoke handed over Kylo's saber to Hux, and he took it gingerly, paying close attention to where the switch was. The last thing he needed was to chop off his own hand or something.

"Now then, Lord Ren, you may leave us. General, I wish to discuss with your our finances in regards to --"

Snoke was still speaking as Kylo left. He felt weirdly vulnerable, without the weight of the lightsaber against his hip.

Almost as if he was naked.

~ ~ ~ ~

The next day, Kylo Ren entered the Officer's cafeteria, for breakfast. He got his usual tray full of food and sat down in his preferred spot, the back corner table on the right. Instinctively he reached down to grab his saber and set it in the table in front of him -- but of course, it wasn't there. 

That was an entirely horrible feeling for him; he was a creature of habit, and putting his weapon on the table while he ate was something he had done for as long as he had had the thing. He tried to ignore his discomfort and eat anyway, but it was difficult.

He was chewing slowly, keeping his eyes on his tray, when suddenly, his saber was set on the table in front of him by a gloved hand.

Kylo looked up into the smiling face of Hux.

"Good morning, Ren. Mind if I join you?"

Kylo just shrugged, but Hux took that as an invitation to sit. Compared to Kylo's tray, Hux had practically nothing on his own: a cup of tea, a small bowl of fruit, and a piece of dry toast.

Kylo made no move to grab his saber, but, now that it was laying in front of him, found he could eat more easily than before.

"So how are you today, Ren?"

"Wonderful," Kylo answered sarcastically, in-between bites.

"Do you have anything interesting on your schedule?"

"Interrogations."

"You're not a very friendly person in the morning, are you?"

Kylo scowled at him. "Don't sit there and mock me, you lightsaber-stealing son of a --"

"Ah, ah, Ren," Hux admonished, sipping his tea. "With that kind of rude behavior, you'll never get it back."

Kylo didn't respond to that. What could he say? He just continued to sit and silently brood, until Hux broke into his thoughts again.

"So I have an idea. You want this saber back, correct?"

Kylo nodded.

"Right. And **I** want to give it back. It makes me incredibly nervous, carrying that thing around. But I can't just give it back right away, without Snoke questioning why I was so lax."

Kylo stared at him expectantly, not sure where he was going with this.

"Okay. So, how about we make a deal. I'll give you your saber back by the end of this week, on two conditions. The first, is that you make a real effort not to be a complete jerk and destroy things, or people, on base."

Kylo grimaced, but nodded. "What's the second condition?"

Hux looked down at the table, his face having flushed pink. He mumbled something so low that Kylo could barely hear him.

"Excuse me?"

Hux slowly looked up, into his eyes, and said in a nervous near-whisper, "You go somewhere with me."

"What are you talking about? We go places with each other all the time."

Going redder still, Hux explained "No, no, not like that. I meant, well, somewhere nice. Somewhere not here. Perhaps to eat, or something like that?"

Kylo felt his own face turn pink, as well, as he finally understood what Hux was asking. 

"I know you can read minds, and sense feelings," Hux continued to him quietly. "You're not stupid by any means. You can't be completely blind to -- to this. To me."

After a long period of silence, Kylo told him, just as quietly, "Congratulations. It's rare that anything or anyone can render me speechless."

Hux chuckled, not really sure what Kylo was feeling in regards to his revelation. 

"If you don't want to talk, that's fine. I can talk, you can listen. I would just enjoy your company very much."

"And if I said no? If I flat-out refuse, would you continue to hold my lightsaber hostage?"

Hux shook his head. "No. But you know what? You could surprise me, and yourself, and just say yes."

"You know," Kylo began, self-consciously, "I've never had an 'outing' before, or the kind you mean, with anyone. Woman, or man. Not once."

Hux laughed, but it wasn't the laugh of someone gloating, or mocking. It was warm, and it had the unmissable note of empathy in it.

"Neither have I," he confessed, looking down into his now-empty teacup. Then he said, jokingly, "Really, you should feel very _honored_ , that I'm asking YOU to be my first date."

"Date?", Kylo repeated, confused by the unfamiliar term.

"Date. It's a word we used on my home planet, to describe a non-platonic outing between two parties. I believe the term has fallen to the wayside since I was a younger man, but the concept is still the same, I suppose."

"Platonic."

"Platonic means --"

"I KNOW what it means, Hux. Therefore I know what non-platonic means as well, and frankly, I'm not sure I'm interested in pursuing something like that with you."

"What if we didn't go out?", Hux asked, still rallying his cause. "What if we stayed here, and spent some time together. What if -- what if I made you dinner?"

Kylo raised a brow. "Dinner? You can cook?"

Hux nodded eagerly. "Yes. What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Anything meat-related, really."

"Okay. I can work with that. So, what do you say?"

Kylo bit the inside of his cheeks, thinking. Hux really DID seem eager, almost -- sweet, in a odd way . . .

. . . and Kylo wanted his saber back . . .

. . . and he had never been one to turn down a free meal . . 

"Oh, okay, Hux," Kylo finally relented, watching with amusement as Hux breathed out a huge sigh of relief. "Does the day after tomorrow work for you?"

"Yes!", Hux exclaimed; then apparently he realized how overly-enthusiastic he sounded, so he quickly change his tone and said, (almost) casually, "Day after tomorrow is fine. Around 1900, 1930?"

Kylo nodded, then stood up and stretched. 

"You're making me do a lot, here, to get my baby back," Kylo said, half-teasing Hux. "I think you should do something for me, as well. A show of good faith, if you will."

Now it was Hux's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Such as?"

Kylo pointed to his saber, still on the table in front of Hux. "I want to see you take that, and slice a chair in half."

"W-what? Ren, I can't --"

"Yes you can. I promise, it's fun."

Hux still held back, and Kylo grinned at his palpable fear.

"What's the matter, Armitage? Is the mighty General afraid of a little old lightsaber?"

Hux frowned. "Of course not. It's just --"

"It's just that you doing something like that goes against your character. I know. But me, endeavoring to spend a 'non-platonic' evening with YOU, goes against MY character. So come on. Humor me."

Hux was about to argue further, but stopped when he saw the set look on Kylo's face. He glanced around; thankfully, there weren't many people ready to witness this spectacle. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the saber with both hands, and flicked it on. Right away, his arms dropped considerably. The saber was much heavier than expected, when ignited. 

"Now, you won't have to put much effort into cutting. In fact you'll be met with almost no resistance whatsoever, so adjust accordingly, so that you don't go all the way down to the floor."

Hux nodded, then turned to his own chair. He brought the growling blade down on the metal. Even though Ren had told him how easy it would be, the simplicity of the act still surprised Hux.

The chair lay in two pieces in no time at all, and Hux, grinning, switched the saber back off and placed it carefully in his inner coat pocket.

Kylo grinned, as well.

"That was very good, Hux. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a number of prisoner minds I need to invade. I'll see you at the meeting later."

Hux nodded, and watched as Ren walked away.

In his head, he began planning out the meal he was going to make them.

~ ~ ~ ~

For as much as Kylo told himself he 'didn't really care' about his evening with Hux, he was certainly spending an awful lot of time getting himself ready for it.

Almost a solid hour scrubbing in the shower.

Washing his hair.

Shaving.

And the clothes . . .

Kylo had a hell of a time finding something decent to wear. He couldn't remember if there had ever been a time when Hux had seen him dressed outside of his robes, or training fatigues.

In the end, he chose a pair of simple black pants, his boots, and a black sweater with a cowl. He stood for a long time looking at himself in the mirror; it had been so long since he had worn 'normal' clothes that he hardly recognized himself.

Eventually he started off towards Hux's quarters, wondering to himself why his heart was beating so hard, for such an arbitrary thing.

He knocked on Hux's door, and was taken by surprise a bit, when Hux answered. He had never before seen the General in anything other than his stiff, starched uniform. But this . . .

Like Kylo, he had opted for a more casual style of dress. He was wearing black pants, but his shirt was a lovely color blue, perfectly matching his eyes. Instead of the severe part that Hux always wore in his hair, tonight it was very soft, and fanning out almost casually all over his head.

"You look nice," they both said at almost the exact same time, causing both to blush. Then Hux put his hand on Kylo's arm and guided him inside, shutting the door behind him.

Kylo looked around. This was the first time he had been inside Hux's chambers, ever. It was pleasant. The air had the lovely delicious smells of food floating around, and it was warm. Hux's living room was extremely tidy. All around the room were different bookcases, crammed to bursting with various reading materials. 

Kylo stood in the doorway for a few moments, taking everything in, before Hux told him, quietly, 

"You don't have to look so nervous. I won't bite you, you know. Unless you like that sort of thing."

Hux's joke(?) served to ease some of Kylo's tension, and he started to laugh. Hux joined him. 

"So what's on the menu tonight?", Kylo asked him, sitting himself down on Hux's sofa.

"Roasted Dewback, with scallions and diced potatoes."

Kylo grinned. "That's a bit scary; I never told you that, but if I had to pick a favorite of all the meat dishes, that'd probably be it."

"Really?", Hux said, looking relieved. "Good to know."

He walked into the kitchen and said "It'll be done in about 20 minutes. Can I get you something to drink while we wait?"

"Do you have any blue milk?"

Hux came back in a few moments later with a tall glass of milk, along with a glass of wine for himself.

"I thought you'd ask for something a bit stronger," Hux said, handing it to Kylo. He sat down beside him, carefully keeping enough distance between them so that Kylo wouldn't feel uncomfortable.

Kylo shook his head and took a sip. "I don't really mix too well with anything alcoholic. I start to feel sick even after something as slight as a glass of wine," he said, nodding towards Hux's cup.

"That's not true. The last banquet we were at, I watched you down at least a dozen cups of nectar wine, back to back, and you looked fine to me."

Kylo smirked, and said, "Can I tell you a secret? About that?"

Hux nodded, curious.

"Well, whenever we're at public functions like that, I always have one jug of liquor emptied out and filled with sweetened water. It's marked in such a way so that only I know which one it is. I drink from that the whole night, and people think it's liquor."

Hux's eyes widened; he hadn't suspected that Kylo did something like that.

But still . . .

"If you don't mind my asking: why the pretense? Why not just drink water or whatever, without disguising it as something else?"

"Do you honestly think people would take me seriously, Hux, if they knew I vomited after a half-glass of wine?"

"Fair point. Can I ask you something else?"

"You're full of questions, aren't you? Okay. What?"

"What are you wearing right now? Scent-wise? I smell it above the food. It's wonderful."

"Oh," Kylo said, surprised. "It's this cologne I got from my last mission to the Outer Rim territories. Bought it from an old man in a shop."

"It's making my mouth water."

Kylo wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but the comment served to make Kylo's face turn red regardless. He sipped at his milk, trying to think of a decent response.

"Maker, I'm sorry," Hux said, looking down at the floor. "It's just, I'm not used to this, and you're making me nervous."

"I'M making YOU nervous?"

Hux nodded. "Yes. Well, you always make me nervous, but being alone makes it worse."

"Do -- do you want me to go?"

"No!", Hux exclaimed, grabbing Kylo's arm. "Please don't leave."

This was new for Kylo. He knew Hux liked him, but until now, he had never realized the full extent of the man's feelings. And seeing him like this, so flustered, so awkward; it was a huge switch from the calm, confident man that Kylo knew in public.

It was -- endearing. In an odd way.

"Would you feel more normal, if I force-choked you? Or threw you through a wall? Or something?"

Hux laughed. Kylo's joke(?) had eased his own tension, and he visibly relaxed. "Maybe after dinner. I think it's about done," he said, going into the kitchen. After a few moments, Kylo followed.

~~~

"You know, it's a bit sad," Kylo said, wiping his mouth with his napkin, "I haven't spoken to my mother in a lot of years, and now, if I ever do again, the first thing I have to tell her is that she's no longer my favorite cook."

Hux chuckled as he began to clear the table, loading the various dishes into the sink to soak. "I'm sorry to cause such an upset in your life."

"No, no, this is a good thing. Because now, whenever I don't like the nonsense they serve in Mess, guess whose doors I'm going to be knocking on, instead?"

The meal had been delicious. Hux was a better chef than Kylo had given him credit for, and he had stuffed himself with seconds, AND thirds. Hux seemed absurdly pleased that Kylo was enjoying the food, although he himself (as always) barely ate a thing.

They gravitated back towards the living room, and Hux asked him if he wanted to play a game of Sabacc.

"I, er, I never actually learned how to play," Kylo said, feeling embarrassed. Embarrassed because, as the son of Han Solo, and having been around Han and his smuggler friends for a great deal of his youth, he SHOULD have been a master at this by now.

But Hux didn't make him feel uncomfortable about it at all. All he said was, "So let me teach you."

Kylo nodded, and Hux laid the deck of cards out on the table. He pointed to each different one, and explained to Kylo what it was called, and its purpose in the game. He explained strategy. He demonstrated a few hands, playing against himself, to give Kylo a good example of his to play.

When it seemed Kylo had the basics down, Hux dealt them each a hand.

"This reminds me of being in a cantina," Kylo said, studying his cards.

"Why?"

Kylo shrugged. "Used to go a lot with Han, when I was a kid."

"Sounds interesting."

Kylo shrugged again. "Annoying, mostly. The constant people shouting, the drunks, the smell of alcohol and cheap bar food -- it all gets very tedious. But cantinas were one of the few places he ever took me, so --"

Hux nodded. "My father never took me anywhere. He had me boarding at Academy from ages 7 to 18, even though our home was less than 10 miles from it."

Kylo frowned. "So then why --"

"Independence turns boys into men, Armitage," Hux said, imitating his father's gruff voice. "Which, I guess it did. I've been able to fully take care of myself since I was a young child. That's good, right?"

"That sounds lonely," Kylo blurted out, unable to help himself.

Hux looked up at him, and Kylo saw such repressed anger and pain struggling to get out that it shocked him. 

"Life is lonely," Hux answered with a small smirk. "Better to learn that as a youth, no?"

Kylo laid down his cards and looked at Hux. Speaking earnestly, he said, softly, "Well, it doesn't always have to be lonely. YOU, don't always have to be lonely. If you ever want to talk, if you ever want someone to sit with you and just occupy space, come and find me. Okay?"

Hux nodded, looking back down at his cards. Kylo's words made him feel an odd mix of things, and he struggled to deal with them.

"Okay. Thank you."

Kylo nodded and picked his cards back up, and the game continued.

~ ~ ~ ~

"I have to admit, Hux, this was a really pleasant time."

They were standing by Hux's door, and Kylo was getting ready to leave

"I'm glad you thought so. See? I told you I wasn't all that bad."

Kylo laughed and nodded, then he asked Hux something that had been on his mind.

"Why me?"

"What?"

"Why me? You said, you've felt something for me for a long while. WHY? I don't see what the pull is, I don't see what you could possibly like about this mess."

"I think the better question is, what's NOT to like? You're smart, you're funny, you can be charming when you're not having meltdowns. And, not to scare you off too much, but have you ever taken a good look in a mirror? I'm genuinely shocked that someone with your face hasn't had thousands of admirers before now."

Kylo blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know you just described _yourself_ , correct?"

Hux burst out laughing, and Kylo took the time to appreciate, how nice that sounded. When Hux finished, he said, 

"What's the word you used the other day? 'Date'? Well, this weekend I intended to try and rearrange my chambers. It'll be a lot of cleaning, and organizing, and moving things around. I can't cook but I can have food sent up. Now, I don't know if you consider that a 'date' or not, but if you DO . . ."

"I'll be there," Hux said, a huge smile on his face.

"Okay. Good."

He stood there, knowing he should go; but he couldn't make himself leave. There was something else he wanted to do, something that terrified him, and he wasn't sure that he had the courage, to --

Before he could think of it any further, Hux very timidly leaned up, put his hand on Kylo's shoulder, and kissed his cheek. His kiss was so unexpected, so warm, so gentle, that it sent a strong tingle from Kylo's head all the way to his toes.

While Kylo was trying to process his feelings on _that_ kiss, Hux kissed him again; this time just barely brushing his lips against the corner of Kylo's mouth. 

Kylo had a few moments in his life, a very few, where the sensation of feeling was so strong he could hardly handle it. This moment, this quiet, sweet moment with Hux, was one of those times. The closest thing that Kylo could relate to this, was the very first time he had been able to lift a heavy boulder with his mind, after weeks of trying. That occasion had left him with such a feeling of triumph and pride, and personal satisfaction, that he hadn't thought anything could ever top that.

He was wrong.

This, here, with Hux, overshot that other moment completely.

Rather than say all this to the redhead, all he could do was give him a small smile, and a soft "Goodnight, Armitage."

"Goodnight, Kylo."

Kylo left and walked to his own quarters, floating along in a pleasant euphoria. He got all the way to his door before realizing he had left his lightsaber behind.

Well, no matter.

For some reason, it didn't seem quite as important, anymore.


End file.
